39250 - Rational and Oral Techniques in the Community

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student has acquired the knowledge necessary to develop a public health project, with particular attention to the promotion of oral health. Specifically, the student is able to:

- Understand the evolution of the concept of health education.

- Understand the levels of preventive intervention in both social and healthcare settings.

- Understand the concept of empowerment and the guiding principles in health education practice.

- Understand the concept of epidemiology and the main types of epidemiological studies.

- Know the main dental and periodontal epidemiological indices and the related data collection procedures.

- Understand the principles of fluoride prophylaxis.

- Understand dental trauma, with particular attention to etiological aspects and risk factors.

- Know the most common models of healthcare systems, with a focus on dental care models within the European Union.

- Be familiar with experiences in oral health promotion in community dentistry.

- Understand the challenges of maintaining oral health in the elderly, especially among non-self-sufficient individuals or those living in assisted care facilities.

- Be able to perform a proper assessment of the elderly patient and develop an appropriate oral hygiene treatment plan.

- Understand the challenges of maintaining oral health in patients with disabilities, be able to conduct a proper evaluation, and formulate an appropriate oral hygiene treatment plan.

Course contents

Lectures

• Dental caries in pediatric age: classification, pathogenesis, prevention; WHO prevention guidelines.
• Gingivitis in pediatric age: pathogenesis, prevention; WHO prevention guidelines.
• Risk assessment of oral diseases in children: diet, home oral hygiene, topical/systemic fluoride prophylaxis, regular dental check-ups, and fissure sealants.
• The role of the dental hygienist in promoting oral health in children.
• Prevention and promotion of oral health in pediatric age: education on nutrition, home oral hygiene, and topical fluoride prophylaxis.
• Epidemiology and prevention of dental caries and periodontal disease in both pediatric and adult populations.
• Screening and epidemiological indices.
• Levels of prevention: primary, secondary, tertiary.
• Prevention and promotion of oral health in geriatric patients.
• Communication techniques: delivering information to different communities.
• Organization of health education interventions, including the development of oral health promotion projects targeted to different populations.
• Cardiovascular diseases: etiology, risk factors, and prevention.
• Bacterial endocarditis: definition, causes, and risk factors.

Practical Activities

• Oral hygiene treatments on patients attending the Dental School Clinic.

Readings/Bibliography

Testi consigliati

• Linee guida nazionali per la promozione della salute orale e la prevenzione delle patologie orali in età evolutiva . Ministero della Salute 2008; e aggiornamento 2013.

• Strohmenger L., Ferro R.; Odontoiatria di comunità. Edizione Masson.

• Strohmenger L., Ferro R.; Odontoiatria di Comunità. Dalla prevenzione della carie alla promozione della salute orale. Edizione Masson.

Teaching methods

• Lectures and Practical Activities

Assessment methods

• The final examination will consist of an oral examination.

Teaching tools

• Audiovisual teaching materials
• Digital multimedia resources
• Recently published scientific articles

Office hours

See the website of Francesca Scandurra